Can't access Outlook.com with Microsoft account with @cornell.edu email address

Anonymous
2012-10-29T18:45:38+00:00

I've had a Passport / Live Id / Microsoft account for many, many years.  I have all my Microsoft-related context associated with this account, including a Windows Phone.  This account's main email address is an @cornell.edu email address.

Some time ago, I went to Outlook.com with this live id and created a bunch of email aliases, thinking that I might switch my primary email address to an @outlook.com one at some point in time.

Recently, I've been unable to access Outlook.com.  I get the following error:

This account can't be used to access Outlook.com

You're currently signed in with an Office 365 email account, which can't be used with Outlook.com. Please clickhereto sign out of your Office 365 account, then use another Microsoft account to sign in to Outlook.com (for example, your hotmail.com, live.com, or msn.com account).

I have no relationship to Office365.  However, I suspect that the cause is that the actual Cornell U recently signed up for that service for its email domain, and for some bizarre reason that rendered my own (alumni) cornell.edu account unusable with Outlook.com.

I'm also unable to access my Contacts through the web (I see the same error).  My WP7 devices and Win8 desktop can still use Live contacts, so I assume the API still works.  It's a weird mess.

One of the solutions I considered doing was to switch my live id to my outlook.com alias.  However, since I'm now unable to access the Outlook.com interface, I'm unsure as to how to do that.  If I go to https://account.live.com/ChangeId.aspx, the only domain options I get are live.com and hotmail.com.  If I enter an outlook.com alias as a "different address", it says:

You can't use @outlook.com in your Microsoft account email address. Please try a different email address.

Suggestions?

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-12-18T03:38:08+00:00

    This account can't be used to access Outlook.com

    You're currently signed in with an Office 365 email account, which can't be used with Outlook.com. Please click here to sign out of your Office 365 account, then use another Microsoft account to sign in to Outlook.com (for example, your hotmail.com, live.com, or msn.com account).

    I get same problem,,

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-12-17T01:44:47+00:00

    An update on this issue...

    I contacted Microsoft Live@edu support, and was told the following:

    "The issue is not with Outlook.com, something with the ID that you are using has changed since the domain has transitioned to O365. Yes, you will need to contact the admin of this domain to get it fixed."

    This is complete BS, but whatever.  So I contacted Cornell's support, and was told the following:

    "We have asked Microsoft for clarification, and there appears to be nothing that we can do to address the problem. This is an issue between the customer and Microsoft for a non-Cornell service, and the customer will have to pursue a resolution directly with Microsoft. We emphasized to Microsoft that they needed to provide documentation to people caught in this situation."

    I contacted Live@edu support again, but I've received no replies.

    Bottom line:  Office 365 breaks customer's Live Ids, and Microsoft doesn't care.  If you need support from Microsoft for Live Id, Live@edu, Office 365 or Outlook.com issues, you're pretty much SOL.

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-12-16T23:17:08+00:00

    Hi,

    I'm having the exact same problem.

    When signed into Skydrive, I can see that I have email, but when I click on the email tab, it just gives me:

    "You're currently signed in with an Office 365 email account, which can't be used with Outlook.com. Please click here to sign out of your Office 365 account, then use another Microsoft account to sign in to Outlook.com"

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-11-25T05:11:05+00:00

    Hi,

    I have sent you a private message. Please read it.

    Thanks!

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  5. Anonymous
    2012-11-12T16:03:02+00:00

    Hi mfeingol,

    I have replied to the private message tab. Please signed-in to this website in order to see the post I created.

    Thanks!

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